Biking the Enchante Circle- Long but has pcitures! :)

[Aggie_Ama]

I realized the photos were kinda big and on my computer the thread took a while to even pop up (not dial up either), I resized. Hmmm except the one of my butt, need to resize that pronto!

[andtckrtoo]

Oh thank you for the trip report! What an incredible ride! You should be very proud! Gorgeous photos. I used to live in New Mexico and you rode through some of my absolute favorite spots!! I miss it, actually, although California has it's good points, too.

[sundial]

That was quite a ride! And you looked so fashionable doing it. I think I would have joined you with the push the bike up the hill party. Way to go and I know you must really feel like you've accomplished something. Can't wait to hear about your next year's ride.

[wildhawk]

I am so proud of you!! What an awesome achievement - you will do even better next time! Beautiful pics too - I miss the west!! I know that is the one thing I have to be careful of whenever I get to my century ride - I love nature and wildlife so much that I will be stopping every 5 miles to take a pic!! Thank you so much for posting your ride and pics - you are an inspiration to me!!

[Pax]

Great ride report!! Like andtckrtoo I used to live in NM and love the Enchanted Circle, very cool pics!!

[spindizzy]

Great ride - way to go!

Btw, are you two wearing matching jerseys? Sweet!

[indysteel]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing and congratulations on a completing such a challenging ride!

Do you know what how many feet of climbing you did?

[Biciclista]

I really enjoyed your story and your photos. PLEASE don't feel bad about walking up that hill. You rode over 86 miles, and for 1/2 of a mile you walked.
Nothing wrong with that. When I did Hurricane Ridge (an unrelenting climb) i got off and walked a few times, i just had to for the relief of doing something different!!

Your ride is a fantastic achievement all at high altitude, I'm very impressed!

[Aggie_Ama]

Thanks everyone, it was kind of fun to wait to write because I could relive my vacation. Truly New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment. I have been to 3 states (FL, CA and NM) in the past 8 months and only New Mexico felt like a strange, foreign land. It is very different but very cool. It is odd that both our east and west neighbors seem so different from Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas not so much but New Mexico and Lousiana are a different world!

Isn't it interesting how sometimes we can struggle on part of a ride that we thought would be easy, and fly where we thought we'd struggle? And then sometimes, the hardest steepest part really is the hardest steepest part.

Excellent way to put it. It is odd, mentally I thought I would just do fine on this ride, physically it took more out of me than I ever imagined. I will have to check out the Fatty article.

That was quite a ride! And you looked so fashionable doing it. I think I would have joined you with the push the bike up the hill party. Way to go and I know you must really feel like you've accomplished something. Can't wait to hear about your next year's ride.

Fashionable, ha! We normally don't do the Twinkies thing but we wanted to represent. I got a "Gig 'Em" somewhere between Questa and Taos. I feel disappointed in not making it up Bobcat Pass but no shame in attempting, even if you don't quite make it.

I know that is the one thing I have to be careful of whenever I get to my century ride - I love nature and wildlife so much that I will be stopping every 5 miles to take a pic!! Thank you so much for posting your ride and pics - you are an inspiration to me!!

You're too sweet, traveling with bikes is definitely our favorite thing to do. DH is much faster than me so he had plenty of time to take all these lovely photos. I think we had 30+ from the ride.

Great ride - way to go!

Btw, are you two wearing matching jerseys? Sweet!

Yep, matching jerseys from the MS150 team were on a couple years back. We don't dress alike often but sometimes for organized rides or like this one where we both brought that jersey and wanted to proudly represent Texas A&M on the roads of New Mexico.